The First Schwarzkopf Shuttle Loop Test Ride

We were looking for a new concept ride at Kings Dominion, a ride we could fiercely promote to continue to out-draw Busch Gardens Williamsburg, located 60 miles away to the east of our park.

After months of researching and planning for a new ride, Kings Dominion seized upon the “Shuttle Loop", or "Looper” as it was also known by Schwarzkopf, its manufacturer's name. It was an in-process and ongoing design prototype coaster by Schwarzkopf and was being sold by the Intamin Company (then located in Switzerland). It was a first-generation steel launch coaster. We met many times with the Intamin Company, then represented in the USA by Peter Schnabel, a new ride salesman to Intamin and the industry. Meeting with Intamin to go over the prototype design was a reoccurring matter for months.

I came to Cincinnati for a meeting at Kings Island and Peter Schnabel was there for a separate meeting with the KI team. I asked him to meet me for dinner that night. We went to Chester’s Roadhouse, a new restaurant in the Mason area of Kings Island. Our discussion focused on the Shuttle Loop, which was still in design. One year earlier, Kings Island had purchased and installed an Arrow Development looping coaster, which was not as exciting as the coaster being planned by Schwarzkopf.

Going over the drawings that evening with Schnabel, I told him I was not happy with the way the coaster was laid out. The coaster was to be launched from a flat platform at a high rate of speed (this was many years before the LEM systems would be introduced). It would travel through the loop, then coming out of the loop, it would climb an upward track to the apex and then return backwards through the loop (same track) and into the station. I was concerned that, in the event of a malfunction and the brakes did not grab the car firmly and properly in the station, the train would come to an abrupt halt giving the riders a real jolt to the neck and head.

As we continued our conversation, I got a napkin from the waitress serving us and, on that napkin, I drew an idea for an upsweep on the launch side of the station so that when the train returned, it would go up another climb and then settle in the station. The Intamin team liked this and took it back to Schwarzkopf, and they redesigned the first shuttle loop to include this change. I still have that napkin framed.

At a subsequent meeting to sign the order contract with Intamin representing the sale, which ended up being for two Shuttle Loops (one for Kings Dominion and one for Carowinds), I met with Mr. Anton Schwarzkopf and Peter Schnabel. I told them that my butt was on the line. Some people in the company wanted to order the Arrow Development looping coaster. But I fought for the first launching Shuttle Loop. Mr. Schwarzkopf looked at me and said, “Wenn es nicht klappt, esse ich einen Besen“, which in English means, “If it doesn‘t work, I‘ll eat a broom”. Well, nine months passed, and the first Shuttle Loop was installed at Kings Dominion and ready for testing.

Mr. Schwarzkopf and Schnabel returned to Kings Dominion for the inaugural testing. After two days of testing, I was called to the King Kobra for a viewing of the ride operational for the first time!

I was standing there with the sales executives, Schnabel, and Mr. Schwarzkopf, while the ride was being readied. The engineers gave the go, and the ride launched. It was full of sandbags, as was the testing custom. The train went into the loop and hesitated for the slightest moment……when two sandbags in the front car of the train fell out of the train. The train swiftly continued through the loop, and as it reached the bottom of the loop, the two sandbags from the front seat that fell out were caught in the last two seats of the train!

I looked at them and said, “That’s great to know that if the guests in the front of the train fall out, they will be caught in the last two seats!” They both stared at me in disbelief.

We went to my office. Schnabel and Schwarzkopf sat at my conference table. I asked Jackie, my secretary, to get a broom. I looked at Schnabel and told him to tell Mr. Schwarzkopf to eat the broom. He actually turned white and said I cannot do that. I said sternly, “tell him to eat it!”. The broom was placed in front of him, Schnabel translated my comments to him, and he looked at me sweating profusely. I smiled and said, “Now let’s get this damn thing running for people to enjoy”! A lasting friendship between me and Mr. Schwarzkopf was forged until he died.

The King Kobra opened and was a huge success both at Kings Dominion and following at Carowinds.

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